Govt Assures Mineworkers of Wage Protection Under Contract Mining Policy
The government has assured mineworkers that their wages, benefits and conditions of service will not be reduced as a result of the transition from owner mining to contract mining.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, in a press release signed by the Director of Communcations, Zambaga Rufai Saminu, dated October 21, 2026, said additional policy measures had been introduced to guide the implementation of Ghana’s contract mining policy while safeguarding workers’ rights, welfare and conditions of service.
The directive follows concerns raised by the Ghana Mineworkers’ Union, human resource experts and other stakeholders about the potential impact of the transition on workers’ salaries, wages and employment conditions.
According to the Ministry, consultations with the leadership of the Union, industry experts and other relevant stakeholders have clarified the regulatory and policy framework governing contract mining.
The government has reaffirmed that no worker should be worse off because of the transition.
It further stated that Ghanaian contract mining workers would continue to enjoy salaries, wages, allowances, benefits and other incentives equivalent to those applicable to owner-mining workers performing comparable duties before the transition.
To enforce these safeguards, the government has directed the Minerals Commission to ensure that workers engaged by mining contractors or similar service providers do not suffer any deterioration in their wages, emoluments, entitlements, benefits or conditions of service.
The Commission has also been tasked with taking the necessary steps to harmonise salaries, wages and conditions of service across the mining industry’s value chain.
In addition, eligible contractors will be categorised according to their capacity to provide mining-related services.
The Ministry said the measures were supplementary to existing regulatory requirements and would not prevent the Minerals Commission from taking lawful action to advance the objectives of the Minerals and Mining (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations, 2020 (LI 2431).
The Commission is expected to complete the processes required to implement the measures and submit the necessary documents for approval by November 30, 2026.
The Ministry also reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance position on unfair labour practices, cartelisation, bid-rigging, fronting and other conduct that undermines local content objectives or operates to the detriment of Ghanaian workers.
The government said it remained committed to fairness, transparency, genuine Ghanaian participation and the protection of workers across the mining industry’s value chain
